Chapter 11: Slaying the Armblade Tiger

Ruins Central District - Corridor of Death

"Yezi, are you planning to enter the core zone?" Li Qiang sat against the wall, casually wiping blood from the corner of his mouth as he stared at Lin Ye with unwavering seriousness.

"Yes. I want to challenge myself!" Lin Ye replied with equal resolve.

At that moment, Su Qingyue's team approached. Having witnessed Lin Ye's battle, all traces of their earlier condescension had vanished.

"Lin Ye, don't go to the core zone!" Su Qingyue urged, her voice tinged with anxiety. "You're strong, but the core zone is filled with Tier 2 Ferocious Beasts. Even Lu Tianyu from our school doesn't dare enter it!"

"Cousin, relax. I'll just scout the periphery. If I can't handle it, I'll retreat. You've seen my speed—those beasts won't catch me."

"Lin Ye~~ little brother~" Ke'er interjected with a coquettish sway of her hips, batting her eyelashes. "I'm your cousin's best friend~ Do you have a girlfriend? What do you think of me, hm~?"

"Ke'er! Stop this!" Su Qingyue yanked her back, her face flushing crimson. "Ignore her. She... acts like this sometimes. It's not normal."

Lin Ye hadn't expected such a reaction. A faint smile tugged at his lips—it had been years since he'd experienced such absurd human interaction.

"Sorry about earlier, Lin Ye." Chen Zixuan scratched his head awkwardly. "What I said... I owe you an apology."

"Same here," Wang Lei added with a vigorous nod. "We spoke out of turn. Don't take it to heart. But honestly—you can't really have E-rank Special Ability, right? That power surpasses even my C-rank!"

"It's fine." Lin Ye deftly sidestepped the probing question. "We're all examinees here. Weren't you... just joking earlier?" Turning to Su Qingyue, he said, "Cousin, please look after Li Qiang."

After receiving her agreement, he turned to Li Qiang: "Stay with my cousin's team. With their strength, this area won't be a problem."

 Li Qiang nodded at Lin Ye. "Since you've decided, Yezi, I believe you're prepared. Come back alive."

"Don't worry—I'm destined to be the provincial champion!" With those words, Lin Ye turned and sprinted toward the deepest part of the ruins—the core zone.

Had they heard such a boast earlier, Su Qingyue's group would have mocked him ruthlessly. But after witnessing his combat prowess, they silently acknowledged its plausibility.

Core Zone Periphery - Bloodstained Wasteland

Lin Ye's fist shattered the skull of a Shadowblade Panther. The escalating ferocity of the beasts exhilarated him. Though the Celestial Vault System granted Special Points for upgrades, true strength demanded battle-tested instincts.

Suddenly, Lin Ye rolled backward—a blade's edge grazing his former position. His attacker resembled a tiger but stood thrice as massive, its pelt a mosaic of crimson and gold. Metallic bone blades protruded from its forelimbs, gleaming lethally. A whip-like tail lashed behind it.

"High-tier Tier 1 Ferocious Beast... Armblade Tiger."

Lin Ye narrowed his eyes. This creature's aura dwarfed all previous foes—the apex predator of his ruinous odyssey.

Tier assessment was simple: blade length defined potency. This specimen's 30-centimeter arm-blades confirmed its High-tier Tier 1 status. Amber eyes blazed with primal bloodlust.

Unfazed, Lin Ye activated the Eighth Form of Thunder Fist—"Thunder Surge·Mountain Breaker." Crackling energy engulfed his fists as he charged.

Possessing nascent intelligence, the Armblade Tiger roared at the human's audacity. Its tank-like bulk crushed the earth beneath—a living siege engine. Most examinees would crumble before such raw power.

Yet Lin Ye's gaze remained steely. He pivoted, evading the lethal pounce. Rebounding off his right foot, he unleashed a barrage of lightning-wreathed punches at the beast's exposed flank.

"Clangclangclang!" The Armblade Tiger parried with its bone blades. Lin Ye's furious punches from Thunder Fist failed to penetrate its defense. Their clashes erupted into a blur of silver and violet—movements too fast for lesser fighters to track.

"Worthy of a High-tier Tier 1 Ferocious Beast!" Lin Ye grinned wildly. "Try my Thunder Surge·Sun Piercer!" Deliberately withholding his Special Ability, he engaged the beast in pure martial combat.

Frustrated by the stalemate, the tiger abandoned arrogance. Its bone blades pressed forward while its whip-like tail lashed from a lethal angle.

Lin Ye's instincts screamed. He rolled backward as the tail grazed his left arm, leaving a deep gash. "Too close," he muttered, eyeing the bleeding wound.

The beast intensified its assault, tail whirling like a steel hurricane. Lin Ye activated Thunder Surge·Mountain Breaker, his speed peaking to evade the onslaught. "This won't work," he growled, inching closer.

At the critical moment, Lin Ye's hands snapped out—catching the tail mid-strike. With a roar, he hurled the two-ton beast overhead. It crashed belly-up, exposing its vulnerable underside.

"Thunder Surge·Sun Piercer!" His right fist plunged like a meteor. A wet crunch echoed as the strike obliterated its innards, leaving a gaping hole.

High-tier Tier 1 Armblade Tiger slain. Points +200. Special Points +120

"Elite-tier points indeed." Lin Ye wiped blood from his arm. "Good thing I allocated all Special Points to physique. Otherwise..." He chuckled. "Old Thief Miyazaki didn't lie!" (Note: This gaming meme references a notorious developer from his past life.)

Ruins Observation Zone

The holographic megascreen broadcasted the kill to 500 million live viewers:

Barehanded slaughter of a Tier 1 elite!

Education Bureau! Run an android check!

Mom's asking why I'm licking the screen!

In the VIP booth, Qingyang City Education Director Liu Fang scalded his legs with spilled tea. "Pull this examinee's full file! Since when did Third High breed this monster?!"

Third High Principal Zhang Tianming gaped at his tactical terminal displaying Lin Ye's records: E-rank Static Control. Wheeling toward his staff, he barked: "Whose class?!"

"Mine," Xu Haiping stammered. "But I swear... the kid's been acting clueless all along!"